Container carrier



' Oct. 17, 1967 E. R. Gqomiue I 3,347,364

CONTAINER CARRIER Filed April 2, 1965 2- Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR m; 5 ELWYN R. GOODINGV ATTORNEY Oct. 17, 1967 E. R. GOODING 3,347,364

CONTAINER CARRIER Filed April 2, 1965 2 $he ets-Sheet 2 ELWYN R. GQODING' 'ATTORNEYS' v United States Patent ce 3347364 Patented Oct. 17, 1967 3,347,364 FIG. 5 is a side elevational view of the carrier of CONTAINER CARRIER 4; Elwyn R. Gooding, Ann Arbor, Mich, assignor to FIG. 6 is an elevational side view taken in the direc- Ex-Cell-O Corporation, Detroit, Mich. tion of the arrow 6 of FIG. 4;

Filed Apr. 2, 1965, Ser. No. 445,062 5 FIG. 7 is an enlarged view in section taken on line 3 Claims. (Cl. 206-65) 7 7 f FIG 2;

ii FIG. 8 is a fragmentary sectional view showing the i ange in rotated position providing clearance for the ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE container bead taken on line 77 of FIG. 2; and

A container carrier for packaging a plurality of cans FIG. 9 is a perspective view showing a package inwherein the carrier holding elements retain each can p g a modified f rm f th Carrierhead in a static interlocked relation with the carrier. The W i the invention is susceptible of ri i holding elements of the carrier are arranged to provide tions and alternative constructions, certain illustrative lead-in guides for the head for a hin li tio carriers have been shown in the drawings and will be described below in detail. It should be understood, hoW ever, that there is no intention to limit the invention to The present invention relates to a container carrier and the Specific forms disclosedon the contrary, the intenmore particularly to a container carrier for securing totion is to cover all modifications, alternative constructions, gether a group of cylindrical ontain r of the ty hav equivalents and uses falling within the spirit and scope of ing a peripheral head or rim on at least one end. At the the invention as expressed in the pp Claimspresent time it is common practice in the container Referring more specifically to the drawings (FIG. 1) packaging art to secure together, by means of a it bl there is shown a package 10 which represents an illuscarrier made from a plastic or like material, a group of trative embodiment of the present invention. The package containers or cans of beer, soft drinks or the like, into comprises a group of six individual containers 12 disposed a package. The carriers function to retain the containers in sidehy-side Parallel relationships and held y 3 in a compact unit and to provide a carrying handle for rier 14. As can be seen from PEG. 2 the annular beads the package. Heretofore, carriers of this ty e have b en 16 of the containers are substantially abutting each other costly to manufacture, diflicult to attach to the containers at The Points indicated y the n m al 18- The eads and unable to withstand rough treatment. 16 eXtehd not y beyond the end 0f the An object of the present invention is therefore the Containers 12 t 80 b yond the periphery of the tubuprovision of an inexpensive container carrier for securlar body Walls 22. ing together a group of containers which is readily The si P arrangement ShOWh contains tWO adapted to automatic feeding and atta hment, terior open-ended spaces 24 and 26 which extend parallel Another object is to provide .3 fastening device for to the axis Of the containers. The carrier 14 COnSiSiS Of the purpose described which securely retains the cans in a pair of identical generally square shaped attaching units assembled relation, yet is readily removable by the 28 and 30 symmetrically located in relation to the spaces purchaser, 24 and 26. The individual unit 28 configuration is in- A further object of the invention is the provision of (heated y the dashed line 32 in h its 2 a carrier that can be constructed with a minimum amount and 30 are Shown Connected together at adjacent Corners of material by injection molding or thermo formed fabriy Web POItiOn 34 to P u the n -Pi e Carri r 14 0f tio the package 10. While the package of FIG. 1 is shown Still another object is to provide a carrier in which the in e familiar six pack arrangement it will be apparent containers are completely supported by th top tio that the carrier can be constructed for use with two alone. container and four-container packages as well as the six- A more specific object of the present invention is to container package shown. Also, by using a third attaching provide a novel one-piece carrier member adapted to unit and forming it integrally in tandem arrangement, be applied to at least four adajcent containers in a manthe Six-Container Package of 1 can he increased to uer, so that the carrier retains said containers due to an eight-container P Varioue other modifications the physical interlocking relationship of the carrier com- 0f the invention y be pl y p n ing p n the ponents t the o tai he d r i number of containers to be packaged or the method of A final object of the present invention is the provision Package assembly to be employedof a container carrier for ecuring a plurality of con- The basic attachment units 23 and 30 include an upper tainers together to form a multicontainer package that Square frame member 36 in the form f a generally is adapted to be stacked on another similar package in hOfiZOhtal P y extending across the P of the substantially the same manner as the conventional car- Containers The frame 36 overlies the pp edge of te type a kage may b t k d, the beads 16 of each container on one side of the area 18 Other objectives and advantages of the invention will of substantial abutment of the containers. As illustrated, be apparent from the following detailed description and each attachment unit is Provided With a Panel 38 Which claims, taken in connection with the accompanying draws a Square cehfighrhtieh of predetermined size Such ings which form part of the instant specification, and that it Will fit closely within the spaces 24, 26. The hOIl which are to be read in conjunction therewith and in which zon al disposed panel 38 is located in vertically spaced like reference numerals are used to indicate like parts in relafiell t0 the frame 36 and rigidly Secured thereto by various views wherein: means of corner posts or braces 40.

FIG. 1 is a perspective View showing package includ- The frame 36 contains four arcuate guide tabs 42 on ing a plurality of cans disposed in 'side-by-side substanits underside planar surface 43 that are positioned and i ll b tti d ll l relationships d t i ed by adapted to guide the beads 16 of the containers into their a carrier incorporating features of the present invention; retained interlocked Position Shown in p h hhes FIG. 2 is a plan view of the package shown in FIG. 1; The Central Portion of each tab 432 has a Planar FIG. 3 is a top plan enlarged view showing the carrier face 44 for retaining the bead 1 6 in its locked position in of the present invention; a manner to be described. It Wlll be noted from FIG. 4

FIG. 4 is a bottom plan enlarged view of the carrier shown in FIG. 3;

that the radius of the arcuate tabs 42 is somewhat less than the radius of the container beads so as not to con- .3 form to the curvature of the beads in order to provide a convergent lead-in guide channel 45 between the braces 40 and the convex surface portion of the tabs when the container is in its retained position.

As indicated in FIG. 7 the panel 33 is formed with an upstanding flange 46 whose upper horizontal edge surface 48 engages in supporting relation the underside 47 of the bead 16. The flange 46 is tapered outwardly at an angular relation of approximately 80 to the plane of the panel 38 so that it can be elastically pivoted to a substantially vertical position (FIG. 8) where it will provide suflicient clearance to allow downward movement of tab 42 to its location shown in FIG. 7. It will be noted that the sloped outer face of flange 46 does not bear against the container wall 22 in interlock position. The axial center of the panel 38 has formed therein an enlarged opening 49 providing a finger hole and the wall of the opening is preferably rolled over, as at 50, to avoid the forming of rough edges.

In order to allow entry of the head 16 into its retained position (FIG. 7) it can be seen that the vertical distance measured from the undersurface 43 to the upward facing edge 49 must be greater than the height of the bead 16 as measured from its lower most portion 47 to its upper extremity 54. There is no applicable vertical separation of the surface 43 and 48 during container insertion can be seen from the particular construction of the units 28, 30 wherein the frame 36 and panel 38 members are formed respectively with continuous tabs 42 and flanges 46 which act as stiffening ribs to prevent appreciable horizontal deflection of the members.

Assembly of the carrier onto the containers can thus only be completed by forcing the deformable flange 46 inwardly to a substantially vertical position (FIG. 8) by pivoting about its point of juncture with panel 38. The flange 46 is deformed to a location so that the central fiat portion 44 of tab 42 is free to move downwardly so as to be positioned below and inwardly of the head 16. As best seen in FIG. 4, the bead 16 is slid or directed into channel 45, with the outer portion of the bead 16 riding on the arcuate extremity of tab 42 until the pivoting of flange 46 allows downward movement of the tab.

To permit the carrier 12 to be readily positioned in interlocked relation with the containers, the faces 44 of rigid tabs 42 can be formed so as to slope toward the beads 16, as best shown in FIGS. 3 and 7. The diagonal edge configuration 52 results from the intersection of the vertical arcuate surface of the tab 42 with the face 44. Due to the fact that the carrier of the instant invention is relatively rigid, it has been determined that the carrier can be more easily rolled onto the container bead by first having the bead enter the channel 45 and be guided into its interlocked position by the curved portion of the tabs. The result is that the diagonal edge 52 permits a point contact at 54 during the initial bead engagement with the retaining tab so as to permit the upper edge 48 of flange 46 to move into contact with the underside of bead 16.

Once the tab face 44 is positioned in place behind the bead 16, the flange 46 is free to pivotally return to its static or unstressed position shown in FIG. 7 wherein the container is held against downward movement by the positioning of horizontal edge 48 beneath the bead 16. The function of the tabs is to act as a physical static barrier to prevent outward horizontal movement of the container. Contact between the posts 41) and the outer portion of bead 16 limits horizontal movement of the container in the direction of flange 46. Thus, by applicants novel arrangement the container is retained in a positive static interlocked manner without the use of resilient or elastic forces acting on the container.

Referring again to FIG. 7, it is seen from the relation of the carrier to the container that the container is held as distinguished from being gripped or resiliently retained. A space is maintained between the upper edge of the bead and the undersurface 43 of the planar frame 36 to allow relative movement between the containers and carrier. The retaining portions of the carrier are utilized to react against the container upon its movement, but by themselves, apply no resilient gripping action. Thus, the carrier of the instant invention provides a more secure package by allowing a certain amount of movement of the containers. When the package is dropped, or otherwise receives an impact, there will be less probability of the carrier failing to retain the containers as contrasted with clip carriers that employ resilient grips that could release if deflected.

FIG. 9 shows a perspective view of a modified carrier in position on a six-pack. This carrier member 60 differs from the carrier member shown in FIG. 1-8 in that extensions or wings are provided on each end of the carrier in the form of units 62 and 63, which are one-half the basic units 28 and 30 previously described. This embodiment combines the features of carrier 14 while providing additional support for the outermost containers so that each is retained at two portions of its head instead of just the inner containers as shown in FIG. 1.

The container carrier of the instant invention can be fabricated as an integral unit from a resilient sheet material by molding, by an injection mold process, or other standard fabrication means. It is preferably made from a plastic material, such as high-impact styrene, due to its low cost, but any suitable material, either metallic or non-metallic, is considered within the contemplation of the invention.

While it will be apparent that the preferred embodiment of the invention herein disclosed is well calculated to fulfill the objects above stated, it will be appreciated that the invention is susceptible to modification, variation and change without departing from the proper scope or fair meaning of the subjoined claims.

What I claim is:

1. A one-piece multiple container carrier for containers having an upwardly and laterally projecting bead at the upper end of the container, said carrier having for association with each container:

(a) an upper member extending across the top of the container,

(b) a rigid tab portion having an arcuate shaped surface integral with said upper member and depending therefrom to a location wherein said surface is symmetrically positioned in close proximity to the interior portion of the bead,

(c) said arcuate surface having a degree of curvature that is slightly greater than the degree of curvature of said bead wherein it provides a lead-in guide for the bead,

(d) a lower member connected in fixed spaced relation to said upper member for engaging the underside of the container bead.

2. In combination with four substantially identical cylindrical containers arranged in side-by-side substantially abutting and parallel relationship so as to provide a central space between the containers and each container having an upstanding and radically projecting peripheral bead around the top thereof, a unitary carrier for statically interlocking together the four containers, said carrier comprising:

(a) a pair of vertically spaced rigidly connected upper and lower horizontally disposed members,

(b) said upper member in the form of a generally square shaped open frame blank extending across the top of the four containers such that each corner of the frame is positioned respectively adjacent an area of substantial abutment of the containers,

(c) said frame having a generally square central opening the sides of which are located respectively over one container so as to define a chord of the container,

(d) four rigid tabs extending downwardly from said Fpper member and having inwardly facing planar aces,

(e) said tabs being positioned whereby said faces form respectively substantial downward continuations of the four sides of the square opening whereby the lateral extremities of each of said faces are in close proximity with the interior portion of the beading 5 of a container,

(f) said lower member in the form of a relatively square panel positioned in the space and having upstanding flanges integrally formed at the edges thereof, terminating in a generally upwardly facing edge for engagement with the underside of a container bead,

(g) all portions of said carrier other than said upstanding flanges being relatively rigid and said flanges to allow the beads to be moved into their static interlocked position with said carrier.

3. A carrier as recited in claim 2, in which:

(a) said rigid connections provide spaced stop means engageable with the exterior of each container head, said connections disposed to limit the movement of each container to a predetermined amount.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,134,485 5/1964 Bonkowski et al 20665 3,202,447 8/1965 Whaley et al 206-65 3,206,019 9/1965 Curry et al. 206--65 being slightly more flexible than the other portions 15 MARTHA L. RICE, Primary Examiner. 

1. A ONE-PIECE MULTIPLE CONTAINER CARRIER FOR CONTAINERS HAVING AN UPWARDLY AND LATERALLY PROJECTING BEAD AT THE UPPER END OF THE CONTAINER, SAID CARRIER HAVING FOR ASSOCIATION WITH EACH CONTAINER; (A) AN UPPER MEMBER EXTENDING ACROSS THE TOP OF THE CONTAINER, (B) A RIGID TAB PORTION HAVING AN ARCUATE SHAPED SURFACE INTEGRAL WITH SAID UPPER MEMBER AND DEPENDING THEREFROM TO A LOCATION WHEREIN SAID SURFACE IS SYMMETRICALLY POSITIONED IN CLOSE PROXIMITY TO THE INTERIOR PORTION OF THE BEAD, (C) SAID ARCUATE SURFACE HAVING A DEGREE OF CURVATURE THAT IS SLIGHTLY GREATER THAN THE DEGREE OF CURVATURE OF SAID BEAD WHEREIN IT PROVIDES A LEAD-IN GUIDE FOR THE BEAD, (D) A LOWER MEMBER CONNECTED IN FIXED SPACED RELATION TO SAID UPPER MEMBER FOR ENGAGING THE UNDERSIDE OF THE CONTAINER BEAD. 